1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of playing card shuffling apparatus and methods.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Soules, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,155, shows playing cards having invisible marking codes on the front surface adapted to be read by electro-optical reading means which identifies the card and gives an audio or visual signal to identify the player position to whom the card is to be manually dealt. This device is primarily adapted for the game of "Duplicate Bridge."
Kelley U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,399, shows a playing card distribution device comprising a set of photocells to sample the card indicia, displacement means powered by a motor, a processor control means to determine into which direction or holding receptacle the card is to be displaced, and program cards coded to indicate the distribution of the cards to the players. This device is especially useful for Duplicate Bridge games wherein the specific distributions to each of several tables of four bridge players are achieved. This device comprises a stepping motor, a distribution chute, a series of holding trays, and a processor which uses the identification information to align the distribution chute with the desired holding tray so that the card is propelled into that tray.
Albrecht U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,061, shows a blackjack shoe having means to read specially coded playing cards and send the coded information to a processor which determines a running count, betting count, true count, and other information related to the profitability of a particular wager or particular action such as an insurance bet, and whether the card belongs to the particular set of cards assigned to the table. If an improper card is detected, an alarm signal is generated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,950, shows a playing card dealing device for dealing programmed deals comprising specially coded playing cards, electrical means for reading the coded playing cards, and indicator means for indicating which player a particular card should be dealt.
Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,053, shows a device for speeding the game of blackjack comprising specially coded playing cards, a reader such as a bar code reader, and means for allowing the dealer to determine the value of the down card. The device is adapted to indicate whether the blackjack dealer's down card is an ace, whether his up card has a value of 10, or has a value of 10 when his up card is an ace.
Normand, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,050, shows a device for distributing specially coded playing cards among four receiving boxes so as to create bridge hands according to a controlled, predetermined pattern.
Soules, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,713, shows a device for reading bar codes on special playing cards and to deal a preselected "deal" to a chosen number of players by indicating to the human dealer the direction each card is to be dealt.
Plevyuk et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,342, shows a processor controlled shuffling machine which comprises a revolving wheel having a plurality of receiving positions, wherein the positions in the revolving wheel are aligned with a feeding mechanism and the wheel is rotated so as to cause the playing cards to be received in the receiving positions in a random order, and thereafter ejected into a stack forming a shuffled deck. Plevyuk et al do not disclose a method of reading indicia on playing cards prior to randomizing. Furthermore, Plevyuk et al do not show a means or method of verifying the accuracy of a deck of playing cards.
None of the prior art devices has become widely accepted in the field of casinos. In casinos, especially in connection with casino blackjack games, the conventional practice is to spread out one or more, usually up to eight, fresh decks of cards at the beginning of a shift and to determine that the deck or decks contain each and every card which belongs to those decks, and no additional cards. It is also the practice to stop the game when a point in a collection of decks, known as a "shoe," is reached, and to manually and extensively shuffle the set of cards comprising one or more decks. These conventional practices are very time consuming, delay the momentum of the game, and sometimes give an opportunity for fraudulent practices, especially on the part of dealers who may be working with player-partners.
It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for receiving cards, either from new decks or after the cards have been played, to shuffle the cards in a randomized order, and simultaneously to verify the accuracy of the set or sets of cards in the deck or decks.